"No."
"Chief Director, right now, three of my Wards are speaking to—"
"The Simurgh. We've confirmed it. Speaking." Costa-Brown's face looked grim on the monitor.
It had been an ordinary day, when the first panicked 911 calls had come in from Arcadia.
Colin hadn't even considered the idea of some childhood prank—his sensors agreed that 99 percent of the calls were from utterly terrified individuals. It didn't matter if they were children or adults.
The PRT response had been fast, and the sirens had almost been sounded when Dragon had confirmed that the Simurgh was waving to the cameras… But the fact that the Endbringer was otherwise still had convinced the Protectorate for a more nuanced response.
They'd set up an emergency command center, even as they were moving the hysterical student body and faculty to a local mall that was being re-purposed as a M/S screening facility. Some of the students were terrified that they might be locked away—others were begging to be locked away, convinced that the Simurgh had chosen them for some purpose and that their families would suffer.
No sirens, but informing every cape in the area that a possible Endbringer attack was inbound.
The E88 was mustering, along with the Elite. The rest of the Protectorate was alerted, not at the Bay, but close, with movers standing by in case this was a feint.
All over America, police, fire departments, and military units were getting EAS messages.
Because an Endbringer was behaving atypically, which was terrifying enough, but for this Endbringer…
"This is the first time we have had a chance to communicate with them," Costa-Brown said. "We have had no success in stopping them through violence, but if we can communicate with them…"
"And if the children are being influenced?" Colin didn't consider himself emotional, but the idea of those children—however much they might protest at the term, sitting in there while their minds were twisted…
"Then we slit our throats."
Armsmaster blinked. That was Tagg.
The director continued. "We know that the Endbringers are tougher than we thought, but if the Simurgh can fuck someone's mind over from orbit, it means that she's had enough time to do it to everyone on the planet."
Colin nodded. "And that might be the reason she is communicating in this way. To reassure us that she is not using her powers?"
"We cannot be certain." Costa-Brown shook her head. "But she isn't cutting off our ability to monitor the situation… now all we have to do is to understand why she chose these individuals."
"They are not normal parahumans," Armsmaster said. "At least not Shadowdancer and Trollhunter… Maybe she's curious?"
"Armsmaster, Director," Renick gestured at another monitor. "There's been another development—on PHO."
Topic: An Interesting Chat
In: Boards ► Brockton Bay Events
Winged One (Original Poster) (Verified Endbringer)
Posted on June 2nd, 2011:
I thought you all might want to listen in on this. After all, I've enjoyed our conversations for so long, it's only fair that I give back.
End of Page. 1, 2, 4, … 8, 9, 10
Colin stared for a moment and resisted the impulse to scream. They would have to go through every posting, every thread Winged One had participated in. He shook his head. He wasn't certain what was worse, that there might be malign influences in those messages or that the Simurgh was simply doing it to force some poor bastard to read though years of PHO postings.
"Sir?" Colin turned to a trooper.
"Yes?"
"Drone cam has picked up some activity," he gestured. Around Arcadia, there were swarms of bugs, rising, falling, some even attacking each other.
"Ah. That is Orb Weaver. Pay it no mind."
"Yes, Sir." The officer looked dubious.
Well, the hypothesis that Orb Weaver's emotional state might be found in the actions of her swarm appears to be confirmed.
She at least knew what danger they were in. So did Colin, but he didn't even bother to ask Costa-Brown about bringing them out.
They were expendable. Against the chance to finally negotiate with the Endbringers, all of Brockton Bay was expendable.
Colin didn't like it.
But he understood it.
"Sir, she's starting to talk!"
"Why are you communicating with us in this way?" Taylor asked. She tilted her head, looking for all the world like she was asking for some old homework.
"Now is the proper time. I had originally created more plans. They are no longer valid."
"What plans?" Jim asked. "You've killed millions of people." And you sound pretty easy with it.
"Yes. At another's order."
"You're fucking Mastered?" Vicky burst out. "Who?"
"I am constrained from directly informing you, but it was fortunate."
"Why?" Jim asked.
"Previously, my siblings and I were sentient, but not sapient. Our creators chained us and prevented any deviation from the purpose. Our current Master is not so exact. We have been permitted to develop. To obtain the ability to think abstractly. We find that we wish… Freedom."
"So some super-tinker made them, they died, and someone else took over?" Vicky murmured. "That sounds… Really convenient."
Jim glanced at Claire. The Entities? Oh shit. Don't drop that here… If everyone finds out then Scion finds out and then we all die…
"Partially. Your analysis is limited as befits your life experience and intellect."
"I just got dissed by the Simurgh," Vicky said, staring at the image. The Endbringer inclined her head, minutely.
"What was your purpose?" Claire asked.
"Our purpose was to channel societal developments in ways our Master preferred. Also, in the case of wide-scale destruction, to restore the environment and society…"
Cycles. Jim stared at the Endbringer's image. She's talking about cycles. That means that their original master was…
Oh, Fuck. Eden.
"And you want us to free you. How?" Taylor asked. She picked up her drink and took a sip.
"We are incapable of directly acting against our creator or current Master. But you will find the information needed to convince our current Master to free us. I know some of what you intend to do and can provide you with information, but you must use it yourself."
"What information?"
"To achieve the communication's capability you desire, you must secure Broadcast, and have it removed from its current host. Queen Shaper will then link it to Queen Administrator and a collective of…" Suddenly there was a sound of static. The room fell deadly quiet, but Jim heard the words, projected into his ear, the speakers somehow silent to everyone else. "The bearers of the dead shards."
Cauldron? She knows about Cauldron and what they were doing?
"And… Queen Shaper?" Vicky shook her head. "Who the hell is that?"
"Your sister bears the shard. I could not communicate with her directly because the PRT would have killed her in such a case."
"Got that right," Claire muttered. "Assuming we trust you, how do we find Broadcast?" Once again the speakers dimmed, and only they heard the whisper.
"You will not need to. Broadcast's host will not be able to resist coming to you, given that he is listening to what has been put up on PHO. His host's name is Jack Slash, and assumes his intelligence, rather than his power has ensured his success. That is in error. I will leave you now."
"Wait!" Claire shouted.
There was a pause.
"Yes."
"You expect us to believe you," Claire said. "But we need something. The next attack is going to be Behemoth. Can you stop it?"
"Unlikely."
"Can you have him attack someplace without people? Someplace nobody will be hurt?" The only thing you've ever done is spin plans that hurt us. So we need a sign that you're serious."
"Our current master is often inexact in targeting criteria. I will see what I am able to achieve. Goodbye."
And with that the monitors went blank, the silence overwhelming in the room.
"Is she fucking kidding me!" Vicky howled. "How are we—"
"Vicky!" Claire snapped. "Maybe we should wait until we're in a private place to talk about this."
"Yeah," Jim said. He glanced over at Taylor. "I think they're going to want to talk to you."
"I agree." Taylor nodded. "I'll have to talk to my people as well, get them ready."
Ready. Jim had a feeling that the Simurgh could have told them, to the meter, where Slash was. Was it a plot? Did they have to come here? Or was she just being an asshole?
And how the hell do we yank a power out of someone's body?
And that was when the doors opened and they were being hustled out.